Just Another Day … 04 July 2017

On Tuesday, 4 July, the nation will celebrate the anniversary of publication of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain in 1776.

A bit of history: The first description of how Independence Day would be celebrated was in a letter from John Adams to his wife Abigail on July 3, 1776. He described “pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations” throughout the United States. However, the term “Independence Day” was not used until 1791.

Jefferson & Adams

A bit of trivia: Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, both signers of the Declaration of Independence and presidents of the United States, died on July 4, 1826 – exactly 50 years after the adoption of the declaration.

Today, most families celebrate the holiday pretty much as described by John Adams, with parades, picnics, and at the end of the day, fireworks.

To be sure, there are still plenty of good things about this nation. There are a multitude of “good people doing good things”, as I point out every Wednesday. And there are many, many people who are fighting every day for truth, justice, and equal rights for all. We have beautiful lakes, mountains and forests. And as of this writing, we are relatively free from oppression, we have a relatively free press and freedom to speak our minds, else I would not be writing this blog. However …

This year, I must admit that I have no joy over the holiday. Always in the past, I have felt proud of what had been accomplished in our nation in just two centuries, was proud to be a citizen of the United States. No country is perfect, and I understood the flaws of our government and our citizenry, but still … it was a pretty damn good country. Today, however, I am not all that proud of this nation. I am ashamed and disgusted. I have even wondered if perhaps we would have been better off to have remained a colony of the crown.

Much of my shame, of course, comes from what has become of the office of the president. Even though we have had some less-than-noble men sitting in the Oval Office before, it has never been as thoroughly defiled as it has been over the past five months. The policies and ideologies of the current administration are in direct contrast to those put forth by the framers of the Constitution, who began that document with the words:

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

To celebrate 241 years, even as our citizens are being deprived of adequate, affordable health care, are being deprived of clean air and water, deprived of a solid education for their children, seems wrong. Our African-American citizens are often being abused, targeted by the very officers of the law who should be protecting them, and are not given justice for any of it. Our tax dollars go to buy guns, tanks and bombs, not to provide basic necessities for our poor and elderly. So no, I find no pride in my heart for the government of this nation. At its head is a ‘man’ who is vulgar, crass, and respects no one. It is comprised of rich, corrupt men who care not a whit for the citizens … not a whit.

But my shame and disappointment goes much deeper than just the people in the White House and Congress, for they shall pass through quickly enough (we hope) and be replaced with other, hopefully more conscionable politicians. The deepest part of my shame is with my fellow citizens.

I am ashamed that a large portion of this country believe that they are superior to others because of the colour of their skin. I am ashamed that many have chosen to hate and even murder others because they do not share the same religion. I am ashamed of those who cannot accept that a person may fall in love with another of the same gender. I am ashamed that people are more willing to fight to carry lethal weapons than they are to fight for their children. I am ashamed that people have reverted to the racism of the past without learning from the lessons of history. I am ashamed of the people who would turn away refugees from the Middle East and send them to an almost certain death. I am ashamed when I hear people promoting violence against their fellow humans at rallies and protests, that some still have not learned the art of ‘peaceful’ protest. I am ashamed that so many are willing to sacrifice our very planet out of ignorance. I am ashamed that so many refuse to learn facts, but rather accept as fact whatever they are told. I am ashamed of those who use their religion as a shield, but judge people by the colour of their skin and refuse to offer assistance to those in need.

Most of all, I am saddened by the vileness and hate I read about every day. Certainly it is natural that we are not all going to agree on everything, that there will be debates and disputes, but today in this nation, there is pure, ugly hate. The person who is supposed to be a leader incites violence, tells people to punch others and he will cover their legal fees. A man recently elected to Congress beat up a reporter who was just doing his job the night before he was elected.

For me, all of this makes it very difficult to celebrate a day that should be about being proud of our nation, for I am not at all proud right now. In my household, Tuesday will be just another day. There will be no grill-out, no parades, no fireworks. I shall write, my daughter will study, and Miss Goose will no doubt draw. And we will be content in our own skins, but I think none of us will be particularly proud of what our nation has become. I find no reason for a celebration this July fourth. For me, it is just another day.

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79 thoughts on “Just Another Day … 04 July 2017”

You’re so right about disappointment in our fellow citizens, Jill. The thing I’m having the most trouble wrapping my head around is the fact that half the country is okay with what this abomination is doing. They applaud his sideshow stunts. They shout “fake news” and root for the GOP health care bill to pass. I guess I just can’t accept that there are two such divergent ways of looking at reality. One side is delusional. And powerful.

Thank you! Yes, I certainly share your puzzlement. I think, given that his approval rating is only around 38% – 39%, it is far less than half the country, but still far too many people seem to be in a hypnotic state and do not see what this ‘man’ is doing to our country, to our citizens. The funny thing is that most of them cannot tell me why they support him. Instead they call me names, and one even suggested it would be good if I got run over by a truck, but they cannot give me one single reason … that says something, I’m just not quite sure what. This is why I cannot stop doing what I do … I write about injustices, about what is wrong, what needs to be fixed, in hopes that someday I will enlighten just one person. Thanks for reading and commenting … I hope you’ll come back soon!

Jill, I think our best hope is to get his fans to realize who is his worst enemy to credibility. It is not the media as he attests, it is the man in the mirror who looks back when he shaves. Who is the biggest leaker in the White House – that same man in the mirror. He beats up the press for repeating his contradictions. Keith

Jill, I have enjoyed reading the varied comments. As we have discussed before, we all too often have fallen short of our ideals. Democracy is hard work and we often fall down in our efforts in being truly informed. Hence, we let leaders with ulterior motives follow funders’ wishes and take us away from where we should go.

While we have made many mistakes, we have also come to the aid of many in harm’s way. Yet, we need acknowledge better our mistakes and do our best to avoid doing them in the future. Unfortunately, I think our President represents the worst side of us. And, that makes me sad as we are more the pariah mentioned in the comments. Keith

Yes, I have to agree that I find it hard to deny many of these comments, but must also say that there are good things we have contributed, and while our nation is far from perfect, neither have we hit rock bottom yet. Sigh. But I am pleased to hear some new perspectives, and will definitely need to consider some of this.

Indeed, he IS his own worst enemy, but his fans believe what he tells them, and what he tells them is that liberals, democrats, the press, and even the courts are “out to get him”. And the masses believe. I agree that we must convince his fans of this, but …. how?

My opinion? I’ve read your post and the comments. I was hoping to read the obvious, but it didn’t show up! I’ve been a watcher of “America” since grade school days when I read “Current Events” and listened on short waves to Radio Free Europe…that was the 50’s and McCarthy was doing his communist witch hunts, designed to hide the fact that Nazi war criminals were being given carte blanche to operate in the US military, space race programs and genetic research. The days the CIA came unto its own and launched its real terror campaigns to turn the planet into an American empire. Then I read more bits and pieces of “America” history, and the illusion about that “great nation” came apart like the smashing of a mirror. America was never a place for any intelligent and empathic being to feel proud of, quite the opposite. The writers of the constitution were essentially liars, being slave owners, elitist and etc., their words followed by the genocide of American native populations, the Monroe Doctrine justifying the taking of 2/3 of the land of Mexico-need I go on? Now you’re in the Greater Middle East, dispossessing, slaughtering, poisoning – essentially jack-booting wherever there’s loot to be had. Those are facts. When I heard that Trump was gaining popularity as potential POTUS, I commented that were I an American with a vote, I’d vote for Trump. Simply because Trump, for me, represented what America has always been all about, but also because if he managed to hang on, he’d destroy that empire, or at least whatever was left of the illusion of “righteousness” that hadn’t yet been shattered. You reap what you sow, and sowing dragons’ teeth is what America has been doing since its inception. And yes, there are exceptions to the rule, but they prove the rule for if it wasn’t so, they would not be exceptions. Let me make a prophesy: America is doomed as a military-industrial-propagandist-capitalist empire. It will go the way of all over-reaching, power-crazed empires, dwindling into anarchy for the hate it has promoted planet-wide is even now turning Americans against each-other. (As you pointed out already.)

You have certainly given me some things to think about. In truth, I find that I cannot argue with any of your points, though I surely wish I could. 😥 I would argue that we also, in addition … or in contrast … to what we did wrong, got some things right. I would ask you this, though. You said you would have voted for Trump if you had been a citizen of the U.S., and you gave your reasons. Now, after he has been in office for 5 months, and seeing what you have seen, would you still vote for him? I’m not being critical … just questioning. I understand your reasoning as to why you would have voted for him in November, though I don’t completely agree with it. But I’m just wondering if his policies and actions since the election have changed your mind. For over a year, I have been asking friends who voted for Trump to explain to me WHY they thought he was the better candidate, and not a single one was ever able to give me a reason. Instead they repeated the party line “he keeps it real”, “he tells it like it is”, or “he’s going to make America great again”. But no substance, no actual viewpoints. You, however, stated reasons clearly and concisely, and you are the first person to ever do so! I respect that, and this is the type of civil discourse I have been looking for!

On another note … after reading your comment earlier today (I don’t usually respond until late night) I checked out your blog and liked what I saw, so I decided to follow. The one post I read, ‘We’ve got our Backs Against the Wall’, was an excellent story … I was captivated. I would like to re-blog that one, but I did not find a re-blog button, and I would ask permission first at any rate. Do you mind if I share that story, with proper attribution, of course?

Thanks Jill. Sorry to be so harsh when addressing American “issues” and I should always preface my comments with, my very real hatred of Americanism (particularly the hypocrisy of its pretend democracy – a claim I could defeat in one paragraph) does NOT extend to individual people who happen to live under that system (unless, of course they insist on sticking to the party line no matter what evidence is brought forth). In any case I don’t hate people, knowing that as an individual I’m no better than anyone else. What I do hate, and with passion, are all authoritarian systems because all of them are anti-life. As to reblogging, sure: anything on my blog is free for anyone to use as they see fit, with or without credit. It’s just words, ideas, thoughts. I’ll have to check into the missing “reblog” button – it used to be there…?!?!

No need to be sorry about anything. You made some very valid points, and you did so respectfully. I did not take it as an attack at all. I do think there are good and bad things about our nation and its people, it is not perfect, but then it’s better than many. But I ALWAYS welcome ideas … it is how we learn from one another. Thanks! I will go back and look for that re-blog button … I am half-blind, so I may have just overlooked it. 🙂

On the voting for Trump question: no, I haven’t changed my mind one iota. Trump remains, in my view, properly representative of what “America” stands for, for most of the rest of the world. I have had enough personal interaction with people who suffered atrociously under American corporate and military hegemony to have more than an opinion: let’s just say, “I was there”. I’ve befriended and shared living space with American Vietnam draft dodgers and participated in many long protests and vigils. I’ve seen what Reagan/CIA contras did in Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador. I had friends on Grenada when the US invaded that little island and claimed it as a great military victory while crushing its budding popular government. Anyway, for those who, with just cause, hate American imperialism, Trump is doing a great job of smashing the propaganda that America is a great and good nation. I repeat, to us, Trump IS the spirit of America. That is why he remains popular and continues to have as much support as he does in the hinterland. Trump is us, his supporters will truthfully say, because it’s so. Trump is us; Trump is US. America’s Pandora’s box is now wide open for the world to gawk and jeer at, and no longer just the powerless and exploited poor nations, but the whole world is seeing the costly and bloody farce. The world should have seen this a hundred years ago with America’s opportune jumping in at the end of WWI, but propaganda can truly blind the masses. Now the evil must run its course and nothing “Americans” can do to stop it, or reverse it. You are now in the security state web of intrigue and lawlessness at the highest levels. Fascism has taken over America’s leadership. Time to re-read “The Hunger Games” for a refresher on what comes next. You asked, Jill.

Ah, well, there is a fallacy in the statement “Trump is us” … because Trump is not ALL of us. He is not even the majority of us. He certainly is not me … in fact I would bet that there is not a single issue on which Trump and I would ever agree. So while yes, I admit that atrocities have been committed throughout history by the U.S., I would also argue that there is more to our nation than that. And there is more to most of our citizens that what Trump represents. And yes, I did ask for it, didn’t I! 😀 No regrets … always glad to hear another opinion, and I do not completely disagree with what you say, I just think you are looking at only one facet.

Good. Now, ignoring the “one facet part” I can explain, maybe. There are two kinds of people in the world: those who “belong” and could never imagine a life without “belonging” (whatever they belong to, that doesn’t matter, it’s the need to belong that matters) and those who know themselves to be “self empowered.” Trump, as you say, isn’t you, as in the individual you. That is true, as long as your don’t claim to be a “patriot” because if you are, then you are not a free being, but a belonger and under your legal system, you belong to Donald Trump’s pack because he’s currently top dog. Wanting to belong to the pack while rejecting the pack’s leader is destructive to the pack much more than to the leader. The leader is the focal point, not the power: that belongs to the pack, but it has to go through the figurehead, even in a pretend democracy.

If you are not a completely self-empowered being, your mind is owned and controlled by a power outside of yourself to which you agree to belong (the reasoning behind this acceptance is yours, of course). America is a power and if one would be an “American” rather than just a human being, then that one is owned, an adjunct within the Power’s collective (and as long as you don’t threaten the pack’s power, you are allowed your own voice in the collective moonlight howl).

Somewhere along the way every individual with a developed sense of reasoning comes face to face with this terrible choice: freedom through self-empowerment, or slavery to some belief system. Nations, any nation, are defined by political forces, not by race or previous residence, certainly not defined by nature though some may still follow natural contours as borders – quite meaningless in today’s technological reality. So when one gives allegiance to a nation, that one becomes a mind slave of whatever system rules that nation. To claim otherwise is both, denial of reality and becoming a traitor to the nation (the pack).

When I read the blogs, and the many comments about the current “state of the union” in the US, I see/sense a great deal of questioning and unease because the sins of the nation are being revealed by Donald Trump. It’s not the man’s childishness, egotism, misogyny or crass opportunism that rankles, it’s that he’s exposing these things which the people of the US had so carefully hidden from themselves, and from the world at large, or so they thought. Trump promised a return to the black and white Fifties Elvis/Sinatra/Leave it to Beaver world and became a traitor when instead he became a real American President. In his ignorance and pettiness, he’s shattering the illusion of American Exeptionalism. Aye, and there’s the rub.

Right now, I wish every single nation on earth had a Donald Trump as a leader, then people would see all the political farces as they are played out and many would opt for self-empowerment and out of the System (yes, there is a red pill!). They’d stop believing that “if only a good man (rarely a good woman!) would run for office and win, things would change. The problem is, things cannot change without a complete downfall and destruction of the current regime(s) world wide because its corruption and degeneracy is endemic. Only the self-empowered can see past, and understand the desperate need for, the collapse of civilization as we know it and a rebirth of the planetary Phoenix. It is going to happen but sadly the well-meaning are the ones who prolong the agony of the world with their endless band-aid solutions to the nationalist/imperialist hemorrhage.

Dear Jill
To paraphrase:
These are indeed times that try the true American’s soul.
I could write a great deal more, but I’m saving it for my own 4th July Post.
In the meanwhile, re-blogging this; spreading the word that not all Americans are responsible for that oaf.
All the very best wishes to you and yours
Roger

Yes, these are definitely the times that try one’s soul and also show what people are made of. I can’t wait to read your July 4th post! And THANK YOU for the re-blog! I greatly appreciate it! And the very best to you and your lovely wife!

Well, as a citizen of Great Britain I can tell you that while you may feel ashamed of where your country is right now thanks to your ignorant, arrogant, hostile, rude, way-out-of-his-depth president, rejoining us is not where you might wish to be either.
We may not have a person at the helm who has sunk to a low that – I agree with Suzanne – has hopefully reached the bottom of the barrel – but we are a mess.
Our Prime Minister, after calling an unnecessary election and failing to gain the landslide she expected, has paid a billion pounds to shore up her weak dominance in parliament via the Northern Irish protestant DUP, and then paid off potential rebels in its own party by finding the money to pay for free abortions (outlawed in Northern Ireland and a key policy of the DUP) for Northern Irish women on the mainland. Despite saying there is no money to pay public servants more after years of falling wages. All that after having accused the opposition during the election of making plans that would require a ‘magic money tree’.
When it comes to such blatant bribery with money from a newly discovered magic tree, how can any of us feel proud? As you know, my husband has dual nationality as of 2 years ago and still remains conflicted about whether to renew his American passport this year. He is, like you, not proud of where his native land is right now. But with Brexit, he equally found he was no longer living in the country of which he had chosen to become a citizen. If we could, we would, honestly, move to Sweden or Denmark.
Regarding Trump. I think this most recent episode gives me one key hope . I had worried that he had changed forever the nature of the President’s conversation with the electorate. I think now it is plain that no one would follow his example, even if more rationally and politely. This is a good thing, isn’t it? He has become a glaring example of how not to lead. But I still wonder, where is the real opposition from Republicans to this gross demeaning of the office? Are they so desperate to cling onto power that they will tolerate anything?
And you are not alone in seeing behaviour resurgent which we hoped had died out decades ago. The genie was let out of the bottle with a campaign for Brexit that used blatant lies and exploited fear of the other, whoever that other might be in one’s imagination. The murder of Jo Cox was the most painful, tragic result. It has set back our national unity years, decades. And now the political class is setting age group against age group. It is not a great time to be proud of either of our countries I’m afraid.
Sorry this is so long but it’s been a while since I was commenting so this makes up for it I hope!
Hugs!

You reminded me of some very good (?) points about the UK … and no, it is not all rosy there either. We get, I think, wrapped up in the drama of our own country and forget that the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side of the fence (pond). I would still, all other things being equal, probably prefer the UK for a couple of main reasons. 1) there are not guns in the hands of the vast majority of the citizens; 2) the people are more … respectful; 3) I think it would be easier for you guys to get rid of Ms. May with a motion of no-confidence than it would be for us to get rid of Trump via impeachment. But … there is no place on earth that will be perfect, and I am old and tired, so I suppose I shall stay here and keep fighting the good (?) fight. As to your husband … it never hurts to go ahead and renew the passport, even if he has no plans to use it. One never knows what might come up. Heck, you both may have to come help us with this fight! 😀
Thanks for being such a good friend, Mary! I appreciate you very much! And I WILL answer your email soon!!! Hugs!!!

I think of DT’s term as a setback for our country. I think we’ve reached the bottom of the barrel so to speak so let’s hope we’ll never go this low again or worse. And he was once concerned that people were laughing at us. I wonder where that concern disappeared to. I think rather people feel sorry for us and can’t laugh at him any longer because he’s no longer funny, just ridiculous. I feel so sorry for his family who try but don’t succeed to justify his crazy behavior. —- Suzanne

I agree with you on all …. except you are kinder than I, for I have no empathy for his family. His sons are every bit as bad as he is, and on top of that, they are “big game hunters” who have no compunction about murdering animals just to have their picture taken with a dead cheetah. Ivanka is a gold-digger, who is using daddy’s position to enhance her business. Melania married him for his money, so she is getting what she deserves. If I have empathy for any, it is for his youngest son, Barron, because he is still young enough to be relatively innocent in all this. This circus simply cannot end too soon to suit me.

I understand exactly how you feel Jill. This country has had it’s low points in the past –two world wars, Nixon/Watergate, the McCarthy communist witch hunt, the struggle for civil rights, the assassination of Martin Luther King, and John and Robert Kennedy, President Clinton’s impeachment hearing, etc.–but right now the country seems to be at its lowest. Maybe because of 24 hour cable news and social media, everything is just out there more.

You are quite right that the immediate and constant news coverage plays a role! If I awaken at 6 or 7 a.m., I already have texts on my pone from WaPo and NYT, NPR and the Guardian, ready to tell me what da trumpeter has done while I was sleeping. But, I also believe that the atrocities being perpetuated by the current administration and also Congress, far supersede anything that has gone before. Trump’s involvement in the Russian scandal will, once all the facts come out (if they ever do) make Nixon’s Watergate look like child’s play. The things that are happening on a daily basis, such as Trump’s ‘wrestling tweet’, are far beyond anything we have ever seen. The office of the president is no longer deserving of any respect … and this is only 5 short months, for President Obama earned great respect. Even the Clinton-Lewinski deal was about a ‘1’ on the scandal-o-meter, as compared with Trump’s various sexual exploits and innuendos. Sigh. I wonder … and yet, I am afraid of the answer … where do we go from here?

Jill, we seem to be falling short of our ideals. I guess we should celebrate those ideals created so long ago and improved upon with the emancipation proclamation, amendments to free slaves and extend voting rights to women, civil rights, etc. Truth be told, we have a long history of falling short of our ideals, yet with these above actions we come as close as we can to those ideals. Right now, we must do our darnedest to keep between the white lines, as we are running too much into the ditch. Keith

Sigh … yes, Keith … we came closer to our ideals than ever before … and then we began to shuffle backward … and then to step back … and now? I feel that all the progress of the civil rights era is being reversed, trampled … suddenly it is alright to shoot a black man for no other reason than that he was black. It is okay for a politician to physically beat a reporter … the people will still elect that politician. It is okay to hold a KKK rally in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania … 😥 The things we were proud of, the ideals we were working toward, are now in that gigantic paper shredder and the new ideals are not … are not those with which I can identify. How do we turn this around, my friend? How do we awaken the lemmings and how do we remind Congress for whom they work??? And best question of all … how do we convince the House to start impeachment proceedings … NOW???? Sigh. 😥

Dear Jill,
DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE TOO UNSEEMLY TO CELEBRATE WHEN THE WICKED, MEAN PRESIDENT WITH HIS ENABLERS ARE GONE?
THERE WILL BE A COUNTRY WIDE PARTY AND YES, I’LL BE JOINING IN THE JOY..
I’ve been singing this tune in my head…

Once there was a wicked king in the lovely land of Oz
And a wickeder, wickeder, wickeder king there never, never was
He filled the folks in Munchkin land with terror and with dread
‘Till one fine day from Kansas way a cyclone caught a house
That brought the wicked, wicked king his doom
As he was flying on his power
For the house fell on his head and the Congress pronounced him gone
And thru the town the joyous news was spread
Ding-dong, the king is gone! Which old king? The wicked king
Ding-dong, the wicked king is gone
Wake up, you sleepy head, rub your eyes, get out of bed
Wake up, the wicked king is gone!
His gone where the goblins go below, below, below, yo ho
Let’s open up and sing, and ring the bells out
Ding-dong! the wicked king is gone……

Ha ha ha … great lyrics … great song, my friend!!! I love these lyrics, especially. And YES … we WILL celebrate when that day comes!!! There will be dancing in the streets, every liquor store will be sold out of champagne, the best bands will play on hastily-constructed bandstands in every city from Seattle to Miami!!! I will come to Florida and I will dance with you, and we will drink wine and we will laugh, and we will high-five, saying “YES … we DID it!!!” Eat your heart out, Donald Trump … this is how We The People feel!!!

If it wasn’t for blogs like yours Jill it would be easy to forget that decency is still the watchword for a large number of Americans. Those who don’t hate others for their skin colour, those who don’t think slavery still has a place. Those who care about refugees from other countries and those that don’t think violence is the answer to everything despite what their excuse for a president ( or human being) says. You are the people who will get America back on track even if you don’t change the minds of all the racists. You are the people who will instill in the next generation a love of ones fellow man and a reason to be proud of your country again.
xxx Cwtch xxx

My dear, dear David. Your kind words … I don’t think you can possibly know how much they mean to me …
You have brought tears to my eyes, but in a good way … I have been feeling that I was fighting a losing battle, wasting my time, that perhaps I should give it up … and then for you to say that what I am doing matters … please just know that you have made a difference tonight … I needed these words at this moment. In all likelihood I COULD NOT give up, even if I wanted to … but I am rather bereft these days. Thank you, again, my friend … I shall get back up on that damn horse and I shall go right back into the fray with few knowing I ever contemplated leaving it!
xxx Cwtch Mawr many times over xxx

No worries … I just get in those moods from time to time, when it all starts to feel overwhelming. The bright side of this whole nightmare, I suppose, is that I never have to go looking for something to write about! 🙂

Yes, my heart just isn’t into it this year. Though many fail to realize it, our very democratic freedoms are being tested at this very moment, and I am not sure they will come out unscathed. I find that my usually positive train of thought has de-railed, and I am spending more and more time in the rabbit hole. I wonder what I will be writing or saying next year at this time? Will there be a ‘next year at this time’? You are one of my most trusted sources of intellect … tell me … what do you think? Is our course set in stone, or is there still time for us to avoid the iceberg? Hugs, my friend!

Hugs! No course is set in stone. There is time and space for radical change….How it can be expedited, not certain…..Hopefully, there will be peaceful direction change soon….. In my prayerful thoughts. Hugs! ❤

Thank you, my friend. I, too, hope for peaceful change, but I fear more violence is in store, no matter what happens. Time will tell … I just wish we learned from past mistakes, but apparently we do not. Hugs!!!

Thank you Hugh! I was afraid many would think this post too negative, but … it is how I feel. So many things seem to be coming at us all at once … challenges to voter rights, the health care debacle, the nasty tweets from the idiot-in-chief, and a friend telling me that she hoped I got run over by a truck … it takes so little to bring on the tears these days (though I laughed about the ‘being run over by a truck’ thing! 😀 But I will enjoy having daughter Chris home on Tuesday … perhaps we will go out with friends for dinner. At any rate, it will be a fine day … and I hope you have a great one!!! Relax and enjoy your family!!!

Thank you, my friend! Interesting link … I had forgotten some of the reasons we had to be ashamed even back in 2005! Isn’t it odd how Obama gets blamed for so much, yet the problems preceded his presidency, and have increased multi-fold in the short time since he left office? Thank you for caring, for your support! Hugs!!!

Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
Fourth of July celebration? I see no reason to celebrate … been feeling like this for a while. Much more so now … I am ashamed too! The ‘leader’ is unworthy and defiles ALL that has been sacred for 241 years! 😪

Many thanks, my dear friend, for re-blogging this! I thought it was perhaps too negative, so I asked my daughter (47 years old) to read it. She told me to go with it, that it is what most who still have functioning brains are feeling right now. So, I did, and I truly expected negative feedback, but have received none. I hated to say those words, that I am no longer proud of my country … but it is true. Sigh. 😥

You’re most welcome! This was a great post … you expressed my feelings exactly. I haven’t felt like celebrating anything since election night. My life has changed … I’m not trying to sound selfish but that’s my reality. Every day I wake up w/ a feeing that something happens & it suddenly hits me … he’s the prez! And my world is rocked all over again!
I used to look for motivating, interesting & uplifting topics to post. I used to post more … I can bear to go into deep analysis like you & Gronda do …
He’s in my head & I don’t like it. I’m getting impatient! I want him out … good for you daughter!! Hugs, sweet one. We always need them. 😳❤️

Yes, he has certainly changed the landscape of our lives, hasn’t he? Some days I think he has turned me into somebody I’m not very happy with. I am more short-tempered, though I try hard not to be. And I, who hadn’t cried 20 tears in the past 20 years, tough ol’ me, now cries at the drop of a hat. But, at least I can use my voice to speak out against all this, whereas others are not sure how. Thanks for all your support … it means so much to me!!! And yes, we can always use hugs … so I am sending you a huge hug … make that two huge hugs!!! ❤

I’m so glad I’ve found you!! Caught them hugs … very much needed!
Yes, I totally understand you … something similar has happened to me. My circle of friends has become smaller, there’s strife among some family members … others don’t talk about this at all!!
I’m someone now that I didn’t know existed … I’m not very happy with who I’ve become either in so many ways. I still go about life as usual but the zest is gone. I want to be by myself. Noises bother me. I want to read and listen to soft instrumental music. The feelings I’ve always had for America as so much changed now … I was born and raised in Puerto Rico very much under the American influence. American nuns and priests taught me all my school life. Even in college … I think in English, not Spanish. I like to read books in English, not Spanish … I thought of myself as an American. I have no real reason to feel this way but now I’m an outsider … I can very easily imagine how Muslims, Blacks, refugees feel.
I’m quite concerned about human rights … all of them. LGBTQ rights are very important to me and I see an assault coming at some point.
The grand-kids bother me … they always have (in a healthy way) but much more so now.
I feel like I want to go back home … I know I can’t really … my life is here, my family is here. And Puerto Rico is in a very tight, precarious situation … it’s all bad!
I needed the hugs … I’m sending new ones to you!!
Hugs, tight hugs …. Peace!! __/l\__ /// ❤

I, too, am so glad you found me!!! I look forward to your comments … and hugs … every day! And what you are describing sounds so much like me! Here in the neighborhood, people have been setting off fireworks every evening for several days, and while they never bothered me before, I feel my heart jump every time one goes off! I have less patience with the family, though I try hard to not let it show. And I find myself smoking more, drinking wine while I write, which I NEVER used to allow myself to do. And I sent my guy a mean text message at 4:00 a.m. …. just because I was up writing and in the mood to talk to him but he was in bed. Sigh. I need to do better than this, but I am relieved to hear that you are going through similar things.

I can certainly understand why you sometimes want to go back to Puerto Rico, but yes, this is your home and between us all speaking out and shining a light on the injustices, we are going to make it right again … somehow … someday. You are a good friend, and I am so glad we connected! And thank you for those awesome hugs!!! {{{ ❤ }}}

Dear Jill .. one of the coolest things I’ve noticed with blogging is the good people one can connect with. It seems to me that our ‘souls & auras’ are vibrating in the same wavelength … I’m glad about that!
I used to post things that were funny, interesting, educational and sometimes deep. I also posted more. I don’t have that drive now … that inspiration. I hope that someday it returns. In the meantime, I rely on you and others like you (Gronda, for example) to do the ‘heavy lifting ‘ and research.
Humor is what helps me make it through the day!!
You are also a good friend … thanks for your kind words!! Another round of hugs … LOL!! ❤ …

Yes, many of the friends I have made through the blogging community are more like family, or lifelong friends. It is my favourite thing about it. As to your lack of inspiration/motivation to write … I certainly understand that. Gronda and I seem to thrive on this type of writing, but many people these days have backed off from their blogging because it’s just too much. I get that … and you’ll get back to it soon … you’ve got much to say, and after a rest, your voice will pop back out whether you want it to or not! 🙂